26
Leah awoke to someone patting her eyelids.
Tap, tap, tap.
Opening her eyes, she stared up into Madeline’s smiling face.
“Oh! You’re awake, Mamma,” Madeline said with cheery surprise, as if she hadn’t been the cause of rousing Leah from slumber.
“Of course I am, darling.” Leah pushed upright, helpless not to smile.
Fox was gone, his side of the bed cold.
“I’m so glad you’re back!” Madeline said bouncing on her knees, rocking the bed, her bright blue eyes and blond curls gleaming in the morning light.
She was painfully adorable.
Please, dear Lord, let us keep her.
Tears threatened Leah once more. Her fears for Madeline, the weight of Fox’s revelations, the never-ending pain of Aileen’s loss—all of it sent her spirits spiraling downward.
Nothing could be done about Aileen.
The horrors Fox had endured were in his past.
But this loss—Madeline—thiswas one Leah could fight in the here and now.
“Did ye miss me?” Leah asked, smiling despite her tears.
Madeline nodded and crawled into Leah’s lap, pressing a smacking kiss to her cheek. She smelled of stolen shortbread and honey.
“I missed youthismuch.” Madeline spread her arms as wide as she could. “Mr. Dandy did, too. He wasmel-an-cho-ly.”
Leah laughed, even as her vision swam. “Is that so?”
Helpless, Leah gathered Madeline into a tight hug, kissing her curls and nuzzling her neck until the wee lass giggled and struggled to break free.
“That’s enough, Mamma!” she squealed.
How could Leah bear to lose her?
“Where is your Papa?” Leah asked.
“He’s downstairs.” Madeline waved a hand toward the door and then her eyes brightened, as if just remembering something important. “But you should come see. There is the fanciest carriage before the castle right now. Do you think it belongs to a princess?”
Leah’s blood turned to ice. She woodenly allowed Madeline to lead her to the window. A carriage was, indeed, standing on the front drive.
The fanciest of carriages with an ostentatious coat of arms on the door, gold leaf glittering in the sunlight.
A coat of arms that, if Leah had to hazard a guess, belonged to the Duke of Westhampton.
I had thoughtto have more time.
Those were the only words running over and over through Fox’s head.
More time.
More time.
